Otis Wiley Scouting Report

Otis Wiley, SS, Michigan State

Otis Wiley was the unquestioned leader of the Michigan State defense in 2008. Wiley became a starter late in his freshman year because of injury, and hasn't looked back. He plays the strong safety spot for the Spartans, but his size and speed may make him a candidate to play free safety in the NFL as well. Wiley is a sure tackler, having a career best 94 stops during his sophomore season. In 47 career games, Wiley has registered 239 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 9 interceptions, broken up an impressive 22 passes in coverage, and even forced 4 fumbles. Wiley also packs some big play ability as shown by his two interception return touchdowns. Wiley has good size, good speed, and great instincts in coverage. He may not be as physically impressive as some of these other 2009 hopefuls, but he gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Wiley possesses the tools to play either safety spot in the NFL, providing a team valuable depth. His 14.1 yards per return average returning punts gives him some versatility, and his sure tackling could make him a special teams standout. Last but not least, it will be tough to find a strong safety in all of college football better at playing man coverage on a receiver. Unfortunately for him, this year's safety class is shaping up to be a deep one, which may cost him. However, the team that does draft Wiley, even if he slips to the fourth or fifth round, may find they got a steal. Otis Wiley ran a 4.64 40 yard dash at his Pro Day at Michigan State. That's a little slower than expected, but not too terrible for a strong safety. He could be a late fourth-to-mid fifth round pick and would fit nicely for a team running the cover 2.